Steely Dan revels in New Status

Mar. 19, 2001

NEW YORK (AP)_ Steely Dan, the quirky 1970s jazz-rock duo that penned ``Rikki Don't Lose That Number,'' is reveling in its newfound celebrity status.

Walter Becker, 51, and Donald Fagen, 53, were to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Monday night after being passed over five times. Last month, they won three Grammy awards.

They said they were surprised to become Hall of Fame inductees.

``We'd been staunchly placed in the perennial losers category, like Black Sabbath,'' said Becker in Sunday's Newsday. ``We briefly considered asking that our name be removed from consideration, but fortunately, we sort of forgot about that and while we were napping, they somehow decided to bring us on in.''

They said they were shocked to win the Grammy award for album of the year.

``Even when we went backstage they (the reporters) seemed pretty disappointed that it wasn't Eminem. It was as if the janitors had come to clean up,'' said Fagen. ``They should have given us mops, so we had something to do back there.''